Fishing has evolved from being a means of human survival in ancient times to being a competitive and recreational sport in modern times. Accordingly, modern anglers spend substantial amounts of time conducting their outdoor fishing expeditions using a wide variety of gadgets that can be used with conventional fishing rods, reels, lines and lures, all in an effort to catch fish.
One particular area that has evolved in the sport of fishing is the mechanical replication of the angler's manual “playing” of the fishing rod, reel, line and lure. That is, certain mechanical devices have been devised and are used for the purpose of moving the rod and reel in such a way that such playing is replicated. For example, other jigging devices tend to move the entire rod and reel via a full rotational direct current (“DC”) motor having a shaft and cams disposed about the shaft to apply jigging action to the lure. Hook setting mechanisms tend to use a mechanical pressure trigger that is attached to the rod to “set” the hook. That is, once the mechanical trigger is activated, the rod sets the hook.
However, using rotational jigging methods tend to set a repetitive jigging motion. Devices using this method do not allow the user to move a lure a specific distance, at a specific time, or to create delays in the movement. Automatic hook setting devices typically set the hook by releasing a rod that is stressed by bending via a mechanical trigger. Once a set amount of force is reached, the device will allow the rod to set the hook. But balancing the needed force to trigger the device can be a challenge. This is because the delay time between the detection of force on the line and the release of the rod via triggering may not be optimized.
In the view of these inventors, there is a need for an improved electronic jigging device and method. The improved electronic jigging device and method of the present invention meets this need.